


For Some Things You Want To Wait (for others, you don't)

by ShadowsOffense



Category: Firefly
Genre: Bechdel Test Pass, Gen, Post-Serenity, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-04
Updated: 2013-09-04
Packaged: 2017-12-25 14:24:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/954169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsOffense/pseuds/ShadowsOffense
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt:  Zoe, YoSafBridg, "A dish best served cold."</p>
<p>They've got a job.  They need her help.  Maybe it's as simple as that, maybe it ain't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Some Things You Want To Wait (for others, you don't)

The bar was loud and filthy, the redhead across from her was worse. Not on the surface, of course, but in every way that counted. She stabbed with her smile and twisted the blade with her words.

“Sweetie, you look good in white. Never could quite pull it off myself.”

“Bury many husbands have you?” Zoe retorted to the greeting designed to get under her skin and on her nerves. She knew it wasn’t the best idea to rise to the bait, but it was this or pop her in the face, and Zoe’d already done that to this woman before. Hadn’t had much of an effect then, didn’t seem to be any point to it now.

“Enough,” the redhead, she was calling herself Duyen this time, replied calmly. Had the nerve to smile, even. “I didn’t get all weepy over them that gone, though.”

“Look like I’m cryin’?”

“Look like you did.”

Zoe didn’t bother to reply to that. “We done?” she asked, instead.

“Aw, Sugar,” Duyen pouted. “One would think you didn’t want to talk to me.” She looked lazily up through her lashes at Zoe. “But then, we both know that ain’t the case. _You_ called _me_ , remember? So why don’t you tell me if we’re done. Or you gonna get to a point any time soon?”

“Gotta job.”

Duyen’s face hardened, the muscles in her cheeks tightening. “I don’t think so.”

“You ain’t even gonna hear me out?” Zoe blinked. “That were the case, I’d figured you wouldn’t show at all. Wasn’t expectin’ it, to be truthful.”

“Wanted to see what you’re plannin’. Didn’t think you’d expect me to fall for somethin’ this simple, though.” Duyen caught the scorn that had entered her voice and softened it back to something more mild. “I’m afraid you’re gonna have to work a bit harder for your revenge.”

Zoe slid a hand into her vest, pulling it out slowly as she found herself staring down the barrel of Duyen’s gun. A small smile touched her lips. She wouldn’t have expected anything else. Mutely she dropped a paperscreen on the table and watched the color drain out of the other woman’s face so quickly she wondered if she was gonna need Simon.

“Where’d you get this?” Duyen whispered, all artistry stripped from her voice.

Zoe shrugged. “Had a reader on board. She’s makin’ a bit more sense now.”

“ _Chou ma niao!_ That _fong luh_ girl had no business in my head!” The redhead looked the very picture of the affronted innocent.

Raising an eyebrow, Zoe stared at her evenly. “Seein’ as how you was tryin’ t’ kill us the one time an’ cut us outta that Lassiter job the other, don’t seem you got any right to complain. You’re more of a _shiong-mung duh kwong-run_ than that child’ll ever be.”

“That the case, I’m surprised you’d even want me along.” Duyen’s voice was hollow. She knew they had her and knew they knew it.

“Need you.” Zoe felt the urge to clarify. “Still don’t want you.”

However, the redhead had one last barb to throw. “And how long are you going to keep me your little bitch?” she snarled. “Come when you call, sit and heel, or else.”

“Didn’t say you were wrong about the revenge.” Zoe pushed back from the table and grabbed up her old coat, the one she carried through the war. “You can rest easy though; don’t have a mind to call you oftener than can be helped.”

Slinging the coat over her shoulder, she sauntered out of the bar, ignoring the explicative behind her. She wasn’t lying; with this one they all had their foot on the tiger’s tail. Sooner that woman was back out of their lives the better.

Didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy it a little, though.


End file.
